Welcome to Cottage Brook Lane!

We are Jim & Joy Macdonald, the developers and future residents of Cottage Brook Lane. Ironically, we had never aspired to become developers. Following is a brief account of our journey in creating a charming neighborhood that captures the beauty of the area.

As alumni of Messiah College, we have long appreciated the natural beauty that surrounds the school. We enjoy walks on the wooded fitness trail. We have fun memories of tubing adventures with our kids on the Yellow Breeches Creek. Cemetery Hill is our favorite spot for sledding in the winter. For several years we had hopes of living closer to this special setting.

We think of ourselves as neighborhood people; we don’t desire a secluded lifestyle. We are drawn to neighborhoods that offer a balance in lot size – small enough to create a sense of community, yet big enough to give families space to enjoy the outdoors on their own slice of earth. We also have a fondness for older neighborhoods graced with charming, welcoming homes - homes that are not oversized and pretentious but that quietly display quality craftsmanship and artistry.

When we discovered the opportunity to purchase an old stone house on 7 ½ acres of land surrounded by mature trees close to the Yellow Breeches Creek and Messiah College, our creative juices began to flow. We embraced the vision of creating a small cul-de-sac neighborhood of inviting cottage style homes that would communicate a sense of charm, simplicity, craftsmanship, and community. Through our months of

planning and working with engineers, township officials, and many others, we have received much encouragement. We are pleased that our ideas for Cottage Brook Lane resonate with so many.

Initially, our plan was to build a new home on Cottage Brook Lane, then we began a season of going back and forth . . . . whether to build or make the old stone house our home. This one of a kind, beautiful old stone cottage kept calling to us. We began renovating it to be a complement to the charming new neighborhood of Cottage Brook Lane. In the process, the grace and charm of the old stone cottage became more and more evident. A future of welcoming family, neighbors, friends, and friends not yet met became more and more part of our vision. We have decided to make the old stone cottage our Cottage Brook home!

We are excited to see Cottage Brook Lane become a reality, and look forward to welcoming our new neighbors to a different kind of neighborhood, one reminiscent of yesteryear!

Sincerely,

Jim & Joy Macdonald